Avalanche, Wild Renew a Quietly Nasty Central Clash

Colorado and Minnesota are back in the same conversation, and that usually means the Central Division is doing what it does best - making life annoying. This matchup has enough baggage to feel bigger than a routine game, because both teams know the value of getting a clean result in a tight race. The details matter here, from goaltending to the kind of five-on-five grind that tends to decide these games. When these two line up, nobody should expect a friendly one.